Cultivation on Huge Area in Pabna

Onion growers hope to recoup loss incurred last year

Onion growers, who incurred a huge loss last year, have cultivated the item in Pabna this year again, with a hope to recoup the loss.Photo: STAR

Farmers in the district have started onion cultivation in their lands despite incurring huge losses last season.
They are showing fresh interest as the item's production cost is lower due to low price of seeds and other materials, according to the officials at Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
At least 36,544 hectares of land in nine upazilas of the district were brought under onion cultivation this year while the growers cultivated the crop on 36,040 hectares last year. However, they were hit hard by low prices.
Around 1.8 lakh hectares were brought under onion farming in the country while the highest area was cultivated in Pabna district, said Md Shahin, development officer of DAE.
Pabna has been the highest onion producing district in the last few years because of its good soil quality, said an official of DAE.
“We are expecting 3.3 lakh tonnes of onions this year across the country”, he said.
Farmers spent around Tk 10,000 on each bigha of land to produce onion this year due to low prices of seeds. They had to invest Tk 12,000 to 14,000 last year for onion cultivation on the area, said Md Abdul Malek, deputy assistant agriculture officer of Satbaria union in Sujanagar upazila.
Md Abdul Aziz, an onion farmer of Manikhat village in Satbaria union, said “I cultivated onions on two bighas spending Tk 25,000 last year, but I did not get more than Tk 20 thousand after harvest”.
“We cultivated onion again this year to recoup the loss”, he added.
Md Nurul Islam, an agriculture officer in Sujanagar upazila, said onion seed was being sold at Tk 800 to 1000 a kilogram this year compared to last year's Tk 1000 to 1200.
“The labour cost is also lower this year”, he pointed out.
“Tk 200 is being spent for a labourer this year while it was Tk 250 to 300 last year.” he added.
Sujanagar is the highest onion producing upazila of the district, said DAE sources.
At least 12,450 hectares in Sujanagar upazila were brought under onion cultivation this year while 12,110 hectares in Santhia upazila , 2,770 in Bera upazila, 878 in Faridpur upazila , 730 in Bhangura upazila, 820 in Chatmohar, 997 in Ishwardi , 1529 in Atghoria and 4260 in Pabna Sadar, the sources added.
Md Aminul Islam said, the onion growers would be able to recoup their last year's losses if they do not face any natural calamity this season.

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